Electric lighting fixture support



June 16, 1953 w. E.JANNES$ 2,642,251

ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 28, 1947 I FIG. 6

6| INVENTOR.

WILLIAM E. JANNESS Patented June 16, 1953 ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE SUPPORT 'William E.Janness,' Wheeling, Ill., assignor to Lighting Products, Inc., Highland Park, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application ctober 28, 1947, Serial No. 782,663

This invention relates in general to a hanger for electric lighting fixtures and is more particularly described in connection with the straight gas-filled tubing types of lamps which are now commonly installed directly upon the ceiling or in a recess or trou'ghbetwe'en frames, joists, or other supports so that the lower edge or bottom of the fixture will be flush with the ceiling or with the lower edges of the supports.

An important'object of the invention is to provide a flexible hanger which is acceptable of much adjustment in its mounting so far as the ceiling, troughs, joists, or other mountings are concerned and also to provide a quickly adjustable and flexible supporting means for attaching a tubular type lamp housing thereto.

. A further objectof the invention is to provide improved means for adjustably connecting a tubular lamp housing to a hanger, to move the lamp housing transversely in the hanger, to raise or lower either side of the housing in the hanger.

Still a further object of the'invention isito provide a hanger which may be variously connected to the ceiling,to side joists, or other supports, to attach the hanger by rivets, screws, angle brackets, and T-bar supports.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a hanger of this kind which has adjusting and supporting means extending through the top of the lamp housing so that after the lamp has been installed, it may be adjusted in the hanger vertically, laterally, or in transverse inclination from the inside of the lamp housing without removing the lamp housing or the hanger.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

' Fig. 1 is a perspective view of-a hanger in accordance with this invention as viewedfrom the under side of the hanger;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hanger a viewed from the upper side thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hanger as applied to a tubular lamp lighting fixture mounted in a space between wood furring and flush with the under side thereof;

Fig. 4 illustrates an'application of the hanger to a lighting fixture supported upon a T-bar mounting;

Fig. 5 illustrates an application of the hanger to a lighting fixture supported on wood furring by blocks be 7 Claims. (Cl. 248343) Fig. 7 illustrates an application of the hanger to a lighting fixture supported directly upon the ceiilng or any other top support;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an angular wood furring fastener for attachment to the hanger; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a T-bar fastener for attachment to th hanger for the type of support shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a View in vertical section of the hanger as secured to a' lamp housing.

For mounting electric lighting fixtures of the straight tubular'lamp type, it is current practice to locate the lamp housing in wall or ceiling troughs between joists, furring, or other supports with the outer or lower edges of the fixtures fiush with the surface in which the recesses or troughs are provided.

Since it is not convenient to work upon the lamp supporting means after the wall parts are in place, the present invention provides means for installing the'hangers' of this invention at spaced distances apart between the various wall supports so that it necessary only to insert the fixture housings within the lamp trough, to position the housing so that the projections of the hanger will extend through perforations suitably provided in the top of the housing and then to insert fastening means from the inside of the housing through the hanger and in engagement with the fastening means of the hanger not only to supportthe lamp housing, but also to adjust it vertically and transversely in the hanger and to vary the inclination of the lamp housing in the hanger asdesired. Referring now more particularly to the drawmgs, the hanger It as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a channel-shaped yoke with parallel ends having anumber of openings I 2 extending through the central web of each end and the channel opening inwardly.

In the cross piece of the hanger is a central slot I4 located in a counter-sunk portion l3 and two end perforations l5. In the side edges of this portion of the channel are slots l1, one at each side of thecenter, registering with each other in opposite edges of the channel.

A short channel bar 20 is disposed within the hanger and has a fastening screw 2| extending through the slot I4 and through the bar with a slot 22 in the end of the screw opposite the head 'so that it may ,be turned by a screwdriver from either end of the screw. Mounted at each side of the bar 2|] upon a pivot. 24 are links 25 and 26 whichextend within the hanger [0, the

upper end of each link being perforated and disposed adjacent one of the slots I! so that a cotter pin 26 may be inserted therethrough and through the perforation of the corresponding link connected to the other side of the bar 20. At the outer sides of the hanger Ill, each cotter pin is provided with washers 21 for holding it in place and asisting its movement longitudinally of the slots ll. Extending through each end of the bar from the outer and (under) side thereof is a set screw of sufficient length and adapted to engage the inner side of the connecting web of the hanger. By adjusting the central screw 2i and these end rscrews 3ll, the.

height of the bar 20 or its distance from'the hanger it! may be adjusted and set, and because of the slots 14 and H, the bar 20 may be adjusted transversely in the hanger, that is longitudinally of the hanger itself.

Secured to the channel bar 20 and extending through it from the outer or under side are screws 32 located between the central screw 21 and the end screw 30, and these screws 32 are adapted to be inserted through suitable openings 34 in the top 35 of a lamp housing 36. Attachable at the ends of the screws 32 as they protrude through the top of the housing are wing nuts 38 or other suitable fastening devices for engaging the screws and holding the fixture in place. The top of a lamp housing is also provided with a central opening 39 through which the end of the screw 2| may protrude or through which the slot in the end of the screw may be engaged by means of a screwdriver from the inside of the lamp housing. Openings 40 are also provided in the top of the lamp housing through which the end screws 30 may be inserted through the plate 20 to engage the inside of the hanger H] for the adjustment purposes as set forth.

In the application of this hanger for supporting a lamp fixture, it may be desired to support the fixture directly from a wall or ceiling 42 .as shown in Fig. 7. In this case, fastening screws 43 are inserted through the openings l5 in the connecting portion of the hanger. For this type of installation, the central slot I4 is located in the counter-sunk recess l3 so that the head of the screw 2| is freely movable for the transverse adjustment of the bar 20.

The hanger may also be located directly between parallel joists 45 or other supports by interposing blocks 46 between the ends of the hanger and the joists, the hanger being secured by fastening screws 48 inserted from the inner sides of the hanger into the blocks and the blocks being secured to the joists 45 in any suitable manner.

As shown in Fig. 5, lamps may be installed in the space between wood furring 50 by mounting the hanger upon angle brackets 52 at the upper edges of the furring, a, fastening screw 53 being inserted through an opening 54 (Fig. 8) of the bracket and fastening screws 55 (see Fig. 3) being connected through perforations 56 (Fig. 8) in the other portion of the bracket.

As shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 9, the ends of the,

hanger may be attached to fasteners Bl! by means of screws or bolts inserted through openings Bl in the fastener and through the openings i2 of the hanger. At the under side of the fastener are inwardly turned flanges 53 adapted to engage a T-bar 65 connected to side pieces 66 at the outer edges of the lamp fixture housing.

For mounting lamp housings of this kind, projecting flanges 1U are usually provided at the lower or outer side edges to fit between the supports which form the trough and the outer edges of the flanges may be substantially flush with the outer edges of the hanger so that a hanger may be inserted in any location where the lamp is to be supported. Each end as 12 of the lamp housing may be provided with a partially severed knock-out plug 13 by means of which adjacent lamp housings in line with each other may be electrically connected for operation together.

With this construction, the hanger may be applied in a Variety of ways some of which are shown by way of illustration and in each installation the lamp housing may be adjusted relatively to the hanger before the hanger is applied, and also after the fixture is in place. In some cases, the hanger may be applied to the lamp housing before the hanger is applied to its support, and

in other installations, the hangers are placed in position and then the lamp housings are connected to the hangers. Since the openings 34, 35 and 40 are provided in the top of the lamp housing for receiving the adjusting screws from the hanger, it is necessary to locate the hangers at spaced distances apart so that the lamp housings may be applied thereto. After the fixture has been installed, if it is necessary to move the fixture transversely to adjust the height of the fixture or to adjust the transverse inclination of the fixture, this may all be accomplished from the inside of the housing when removing it or the hanger from its set position. The lamp housing may be moved transversely by means of the hanger slots [4 and 11 and the fixture may be adjusted vertically in an inclination by manipulating the central screw 2| and the side set screws 30 from the inside of the housing. In the tubular lamp type of fixture, these fastening screws 2| and 30 may be accessible without removing the tubular lamps, but even if it is necessary to remove the tubular lamps, it is a simple matter to do so to adjust the housing in the hanger.

While the preferred construction and several applications have been described in some detail, it should be regarded by way of example and illustration rather than a limitation or restriction of the invention, as various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

.1. An electric lighting fixture support for mounting tubular lamp housings, comprising a yoke to fit over the housing having parallel ends and a connecting crosspiece, supporting means at the outersides of the parallel ends for fixed attachment of the yoke, means adjustably connected to the crosspiece comprising a bar attachable at the top of the lamp housing, means including slots in the crosspiece of the yoke and links connected to the bar and pivoted in theslots for adjusting the bar longitudinally between the ends of the yoke, and fastening screwsinsertable through the top of the housing through the supporting bar and into contact with the crosspiece for varying the inclination and angle of the bar and a lamp housing supported thereby.

2. In an electric lighting fixture support for mounting the housings of straight tubular lamps in a lamp receiving trough, a hanger having parallel ends and a connecting crosspiece, means for supporting the ends of the hanger in a trough, a bar attachable to the top of a hou$- ing, a fastening screw extending through the bar, a longitudinal slot in the crosspiece through which the screw extends for varying the spacing of the bar with respect to the crosspiece, links pivotally connected to the bar,-pins projecting from the links having a pivotal and sliding connection in slots provided in the sides of the crosspiece, and fastening screws insertable through the ends of the bar and adapted to engage the inner side of the crosspiece to vary and set the supporting bar at various angles and in various longitudinal positions relative to the crosspiece.

3. A hanger for supporting electric lighting fixture housings for tubular lamps within a recess so that the edges of the lamps will be flush with the surface from which the recess extends, the hanger comprising a yoke having a channelshaped bar with parallel ends and a connecting crosspiece, the crosspiece having a central slot and registering slots in the opposite sides for receiving mounting members therein, a fixture supporting bar having links pivoted at opposite sides, cross pins mounted in the slots of the sides of the crosspiece to which the outer ends of the links are connected, a fastening screw inserted through the central slot and through the bar to vary the distance of the bar from the crosspiece, and end screws inserted through the bar and in contact with the inner surface of the crosspiece to vary and hold the inclination of the bar with respect to the crosspiece.

4. A hanger for supporting electric light fixtures in a trough recess which comprises a channel-shaped yoke with parallel ends and a connecting crosspiece, means ,for variably supporting the ends within a trough for a fixture and means attached to the crosspiece of the hanger to support a fixtur for adjustment in height, inclination, and laterally with respect to the yoke, said means comprising a bar having means for attaching the top of a fixture thereto from the inside of the fixture, the, yoke having a central slot in its connecting web and opposite parallel slots spaced from the center thereof, links pivotally'attached centrally of the bar at the sides thereof, pins exending through the slots in the sides of the crosspiece and connected to the upper ends of the links so that the bar may be longitudinally adjusted with respect to the crosspiece, a fastening screw inserted through the bar and the central opening to adjust the height of the bar in respect to the crosspiece, and fastening screws insertable through the ends of the bar into engagement with the under and inner side of the crosspiece to vary and set the inclination of the fixture supporting bar with respect to the crosspiece. I

' 5. A hanger for an electric lighting fixture having a relatively long housing adapted to be supported in a wall or ceiling trough, the top of the housing having a plurality of openings extending transversely thereof at intervals along the housing, comprising a yoke-shaped member with parallel ends and a connecting crosspiece to fit over the top of and downwardly at the sides of the housing, means for attaching the ends of the hanger at the sides of the trough and above the lower edges of the housing, a supporting crosspiece having means comprising a mounting for attaching it to the outer and upper side of the housing from the inside thereof ,means for mounting the crosspiece to slide longitudinally of the bar and transversely of the trough, and means extending through the mounting bar and accessible through some of the holes in the top of the housing for attaching the supporting bar at'various heights and at various angles with respect to the crosspiece.

6. A hanger for supporting electric lighting fixtures in a well recess comprising a channel member with parallel ends and a connecting crosspiece, means for attaching the parallel ends to external side supports, a mounting bar for engaging a fixture, the mounting bar having projecting pivoted links, projecting center and end screws for engaging the crosspiece, and the crosspiece having slots with parallel pins therein for pivotally engaging the ends of the links, a slot in the crosspiece for engaging the head of the center screw for adjusting the height of the bar relative to the crosspiece, and the end screws extending through the-bar into engagement with the under side of the hanger for varying the inclination of the bar.

7. A trough hanger for electric lighting fixtures, comprising a yoke having parallel ends and a connecting crosspiece, a supporting bar disposed within the yoke and below the crosspiece, the crosspiece having a central opening and transversely aligned lateral openings at the ends of the central slot, a headed fastening screw inserted through the central opening and through the bar to adjust the height thereof relative to the crosspiece, means mounting the bar in the transverse slots for sliding the bar longitudinally thereof, and means extending through the bar to engage the under side of the crosspiece for varying and setting the inclination of the bar.

WILLIAM E. JANNESS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,283,010 Logan et a1 May 12, 1942 2,321,099 Naysmith' 'June 8, 1943 2,339,100 Netting Jan. 11, 1944 2,376,715 Naysmith May 22, 1945 2,385,040 Strassburger et al. Sept. 18, 1945 

